1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of repair of injured or defective joints.
2. Description of the Background Art
Articulating joints in mammals are covered with articular cartilage which prevents direct contact of the opposing bone surfaces and permits smooth movement of the articulating bones relative to one another.
There have been several proposals for repair of injuries and defects in articular cartilage. These include implantation of cultured chondrocytes at the site of cartilage injury, and covering the injury with a collagen patch.
Sometimes the injury or defect in an articular joint extends deeper than the articular cartilage into the underlying bone. There remains a need in the art for materials and methods for repairing articulating joints in which an injury or defect extends through the cartilage into the bone.
In accordance with the present invention, a bone mineral product for use in treating combined cartilage and bone injuries or defects in articulating joints comprises porous bone mineral particles derived from natural bone having a crystal structure substantially that of natural bone and being substantially free from all endogenous organic material, the particles having at least at a surface thereof resorbable, physiologically compatible collagen II fibers wherein the weight ratio of said collagen II fibers to said porous bone mineral particles is at least about 1:40.